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On February 2nd, Mental Health Colorado and constituents from the Front Range met with legislators at the Capitol to go over our priorities this session.
Almost 100 constituents joined us for a workshop to learn about the different mental health issues coming up this session, then walked across the street to the Capitol for face-to-face time with their state representative or state senator. They shared their stories and explained why mental health issues matter to them.
We want to thank everyone who came to learn, lobby, and leave a lasting impact at the ...

Mental health parity.
It’s not just a good idea. It’s the law.
Parity requires most insurance companies to provide equal coverage for mental and physical care. That means insurers cannot impose more restrictions on mental health or substance use treatment than on other medical services.
How’s the law working? That’s what we’d like to know.
Please take a moment to complete this brief, confidential survey. Tell us if you, a family member, or a patient has ever been denied reimbursement or care.
By the way, if you have concerns about private insurance ...

“I run the largest mental health facility in Boulder County,” Joe Pelle told an audience near the State Capitol yesterday. “It’s called the county jail.”
Sheriff Pelle is not alone. An estimated two-thirds of the inmates in America’s jails have a mental health disorder.
Some of those behind bars face no charges at all. They’re taken into custody because they experience a mental health crisis, pose an imminent danger to themselves or others, and have nowhere else to go.
Is this the best we can do, Dave? Not by a long shot.
We’re urging state ...

What happens when you put 100 people in one building for 120 days?
We’re about to find out. The General Assembly began its work on Wednesday, January 11th, swearing in a new cast of state lawmakers.
Who are they? How will they vote? And what can you do, as a constituent, to influence their decisions?
Join us on Thursday, Feb. 2 for Mental Health Colorado’s Hill Day. We’ll start the morning with a dynamic round of advocacy training, then walk over to the State Capitol to meet our representatives and senators.
You’ll learn about some of the most important ...

Trust us.
That’s what some members of Congress are telling their constituents -- by vowing to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a plan to replace it. We’d rather not.
This week Mental Health Colorado joined a coalition of more than 100 organizations across the state in an urgent plea to our Congressional delegation: craft a new plan first. Repealing the current law and postponing its replacement would only create, in the coalition’s words, “uncertainty and chaos.”
Where do you stand? Contact your representative and senators to let them know.
At ...

We want to thank all of our supporters for your donations on Colorado Gives Day. You were a part of raising more than $25,000 for Mental Health Colorado.
This money helps us help the more than one million Coloradans who experience a mental health or substance use disorder each year. We want all Coloradans to have access to good mental health care.
ColoradoGives.org is a year-round, online giving website featuring more than 1,800 nonprofits, including Mental Health Colorado.

We all know the drill. The anticipation, the excitement and the stress of the holidays.
It’s all about one big, happy family, obligations and events to attend, and finding one more present to make everything perfect. Right?! Wrong.
Elizabeth Nelson, a Psychologist with the Colorado Center for Clinical Excellence, says stress is normal over the holidays. It’s how you handle it that makes all the difference.
“The more you buy into the ‘perfect family, perfect holiday’ the more it clouds out your ability to do the things that would help you cope,” says ...

The summer of 2016 the Medical Center of Aurora did something desperately needed to help adolescents with mental health issues. The hospital added 20 beds to its Adolescent Unit.
“The bottom line is kids need treatment, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” said Dr. Scott Adams, Director of Youth services and Quality with Behavioral Health Services at the Medical Center of Aurora.
Dr. Adams says there is a drastic shortage of in-patient acute psychiatric help for adolescents and the need goes up during school time. It’s a time when many needs are identifie...

I figure you’ll hear enough about the election today. So I’d like to share something else for a change.
It’s the story of my friend Evan Silverman. (He’s also my boss, as a member of our board.) Evan describes his journey far better than I could; just watch.
If you’re inspired by Evan’s story, I invite you to share your own. We’re building a story bank as part of an ongoing effort to demystify mental illness.
You can also share your story in person. Our statewide listening tour -- “A Conversation with Colorado” -- heads to Aurora on Nov. ...

Want to start a fight, or at least a good argument? If the presidential contest doesn’t do the trick, try debating Cleveland vs. Chicago.
At a time of such deep and bitter division, here’s some news to bring us together: a plan to put more mental health professionals in Colorado’s schools. Gov. Hickenlooper is proposing to increase funding for school nurses, psychologists, social workers and counselors -- 150 new positions in all.
That’s not enough to reach every student in Colorado, but it represents a significant improvement. The governor’s proposal would ...